Clamshell Boxes

Clamshell boxes (sometimes known as Solander cases) are book-form cases traditionally used to store precious books, manuscripts, maps, and are often used by archivists and libraries. Our clamshell boxes provide a stunning display element for your albums and books, and also protect their contents from dirt, dust, and light. We make them in all of our cloth colors, and you can order them with or without a personalized letterpress printed plaque.   

An example of a custom clamshell box built to display fine letterpress invitations:

What are slipcases? Shop Clamshell Boxes {Contact us to inquire about custom-sized clamshell boxes.}

Custom Portfolio, Made in Portland

Design Portfolio for Creative Agency

We love working with designers and other creative people: they often know what they want, and their finished products tend to come out even better than we first imagined. Take this post bound portfolio for Magmatic NW. They wanted a book they could take with them to show potential clients. They needed it to be large enough to showcase the work, have screwposts so pages could be added and changed easily, and to fit with their aesthetic:

They were pleased with the result, and so were we. We're planning to add a line of made-to-order portfolios to our site in early 2013. Until then, check out this custom graphic design portfolio,  custom made clamshell boxes to hold various portfolios, and a few other presentation pieces for architects, photographers and designers.

Birthday Invite Booklets

Picture Book Birthday Invites

We just finished up these adorable little fifth birthday party invites (they're based on mini photo books we've made in the past.) Each page of these books has a picture depicting the birthday boy at age 1, then 2, then 3... The last page includes the 5th year picture and the invitation to the party! Each booklet slips inside an envelope to be sent to party guests. We were happy to make them and LOVE the results. Take a look!

How to celebrate 50 years. High school senior portrait album.

Handmade Book Structures

Binding Styles for Handmade Books

When clients ask us to create a book or portfolio, their book's content usually dictates its binding style. Below are some of the binding styles that we build most often, along with a short explanation of how they function.

Western Case Binding

When you think of a traditional hardcover book, this is the style you're likely thinking of. The spine is encased, the book opens to lie virtually flat, the presentation is traditional. However, photos and ephemera cannot be added to the book, or else it will fan, or "yawn" open.

Long Stitch Binding

We choose to make our product line using this binding style because the books lie flat, but can accommodate added dimensional ephemera and photos. The exposed spine stitching adds a decorative element.

Stab Binding

A traditional Japanese binding style, Stab Binding is useful for binding flat (versus folded) pages into a book. Stab binding can accommodate photos, but only if spacers are added to the spine. This style of book doesn't lie flat when opened, but a longer horizontal dimension can minimize this issue.

Post Binding

Much like stab binding in structure, the difference with Post Binding is that posts can be removed so content can be added to the book. This style is great for portfolios with rotating content.

Accordion Binding

Just like it sounds, pages are folded into an accordion, a cover is added to both ends, and the book can be held closed with a ribbon. A fun binding style, accordions are great for guest books as they can be laid open across a table and multiple people can sign at once. Photos can be added to accordion books, as they have no spine.

Coptic Binding

One of the oldest binding styles, coptic is different in that the signatures (folded page groups) are exposed on the spine of the book. These books open flat, photos cannot be added (or they will yawn), but the knotted sewing threads have a wonderful look to them.

Whew! That's it for now. Coming soon, Handmade Box Structures! (For now, you can check out our post on Clamshell Boxes.)